A/N: After a long process of growing up, maturing, leaving and returning to a life on the Internet, I have regained interest in my old stories. However, one or two are being closed down and redone. And they will all be Mary-Sues, because that is what I am good at. Apparently...

Chapter 4: Lean Times for All

Rayanna slipped through the trees as silently as possible. She was tracking with all her senses, even her heart slowed down to hear above its beating. It was just in front of her, moving slowly, so slowly... She stood silently, barely breathing, as she went to draw out her knife, struggling not to make any sound in her anticipation...

BLAST! The thought echoed through her mind as the white hare before her bounded off, having seen the glint of metal or heard the knife and sheath. She let out her breath in a loud sigh, shaking her head at herself before returning to her new campsite. With any luck, she would encounter prey in her route, and would be able to eat that night.

Ayala, the only one with any luck, had managed to kill three hares. Haytham had his own meat. Rayanna needed to find another animal, but she wished not too kill too much. Clearly, her recent prey had been healthy, and she was glad she had not killed it. Soon, though, right within her area, she found one which moved far more slowly, hopping only a short distance at a time. Again, all her senses were on alert to its sound through the cracking snow, moving softly, barely breathing. She was lucky this time. The hare felt the tremble of earth too late, and her blade sliced through its jugular. She smiled to herself, though not much. Prey this time of year was lean, as lean as the predators who hunted them, killing twice as many for the same satisfactory meal.

You could go back to Hogwarts, her traitorous mind thought quietly. She had enjoyed the night there. Well, parts of it. The dinner would have been better if fewer people had been staring at her as if she were going to do a trick. The wolves had been antsy, but she couldn't have left them out alone. The hawk had gone to be with the owls, but was shunned there but for one rare species he refused to name. (She had accepted this, more out of familiarity to her friend's habits than lack of curiosity. He became violent when prodded to a tale... Coaxing worked better.) And at night... the room had been small, closed in. She shuddered at the feeling she had experienced upon waking just before dawn. There had been no window. Tham had refused to visit at all, and the three wolves paced the length and breadth before she finally coaxed her body into facing the cold. The new clothes in the pack had been a blessing, though. Even after living so long in the wilderness, she, too, disliked her body's stench on her outfit.

She sighed gratefully when she returned to find the campsite unchanged in any way. She cooked her hare and ate it, laying the fur out to dry near Aurora, also glad that she had missed the disgusting eating habits of her companions. Tham, to keep his energy, had already fallen asleep. She was sad to wake him, but knew she was late anyway. He agreed to her task, and within the hour had flown away with her message around his neck.

Nothing left to do, Raya began to clean up after herself, thinking back on the past few days since she had left the impressive school. She had moved each night in darkness, consulting the trees until she found the more hidden clearings few knew about or cared to find. This was near a frozen river, and she could almost hear the trees around it gulping up the extra water to grow lusher than any others. She praised them individually, giving them more hope for the Spring. She had seen the product of this technique before, in trees which grew faster, produced more fruit or leaves, and were then even more likely to be used by people.

It was, in Raya's mind, a tree's ambition to be enjoyed by humans and animals. The leaves it used to collect it's sustenance created shade for lifeforms. Squirrels and their relatives lived peacefully in its trunk. A human would eat of its fruit, and the rotten fruit produced a wonderful food for the ground near plants. So, wherever she went, she fulfilled those trees she could. Only Aurora did not approve, as even Randolph knew what it was like to be unappreciated. Only Aurora had had her own following and a real life before following Rayanna into this new existence.

Frequently that night, though, Ayala woke Rayanna with a warning growl, something unusual from the peaceful wolf. Each time, Raya would grab her knife and unsheathe it an inch. Nothing would happen, and she would fall asleep in that position. Each time, Ayala would approach the girl and nudge her hand away from the knife, only to growl an hour later and start the process over. It made for a very sleepy quintet.

Aurora, who had somewhat enjoyed the night at Hogwarts, began to rant softly, just loud enough for everyone else to hear. I could be back in England, enjoying a nice tea with the governor and his assistant, discussing plans for war. Then I would go and sit in my cozy room, be served by my butler with whatever I wished, rather than sitting here in the snow eating whatever happens to hop by, animal or not...

Raya finally broke. The night had not been easy, and she was shaken even more whenever she thought that it was the calmest wolf who had seemed to sense danger. Between this, the hunger, and everything crowding in on her mind, she raised her voice for the first time in a while, and not the last.

"We all know that you had such a wonderful following, Aurora! We know you "knew the right people" and were so darned spoiled that it took a promise of eternal freedom to make you leave! But you did, alright! You left all of that for something you thought sounded fantastic, and now that it isn't, you make yourself believe that your old life was!

"It wasn't though, was it? You would complain to whomever would listen about being cooped up at night. Being unable to sing with a pack. Being alone most hours of the day but for a butler who couldn't believe he was serving a wolf and an assistant who was too afraid of you to work properly. You wanted to be free, and when I offered that, you snatched it up right quick.

"Well guess what: this is it. This is the great freedom you traded in for. I'm sorry you lost you unloving butler and your choice tidbits that tasted like cardboard. Forgot you said that, hm? And if you are such a great fire-wolf, than heat up yourself and stop complaining about the temperature and the food, because none of us can do a thing about either!"

The four animals stared at the normally quiet young girl with an expression that, on a human, would include eyebrows raised to the fringe of hair. She burst away after staring back at them, ashamed at herself and the world. Outside or not, she needed fresh air, air that came from somewhere distant of the clearing.

Walking in the snow was easy. She knew her way, marking it carefully and studiously on old roots the trees would bid her use. It was not long before she had gone far down the river, now nearer to a hidden lake. Looking back, she realized that it was snowing, and yet she was hot enough that it melted on contact. Overwhelmed with her actions, she finally sat, pulled her knees up, and set her chin in the dip between.

It scared her far too much that she had blown up like that. Her parents had been strict about politeness, and you couldn't control vast amounts of earth with your emotions chewing at it. Like an animal, it responded to what it sensed. She felt lucky that her anger had not persuaded a large earthquake or animal attack.

The ground animals, however, had noticed the slight upheaval. They were out of their burrows, looking sleepily around in the early light, disapproving the interruption of their sleep and ritual. Knowing she had to make it up to the wolves somehow, Raya quickly caught a number of squirrels, frightened by the movement of trees below, voles, and even a plumper hare. She used a strip of cloth from her original set of clothing to string them up and set back to her trail, moving even faster now that she didn't have to pause or look around.

This was her downfall, however. Without really looking, only a few yards from the camp, she fell through a burrow, a large one. She struggled to get out, knowing that only a badger would make a home that size. Waking one up this early in the winter would result in mayhem. However, her foot had twisted. A look of panic fell on her face as, simultaneously, she realized she would have to completely break her ankle and the badger began to stir.

Ayala, with Tham's help, located Raya easily. She understood the girl's plight and stood with her hackles raised, ready to fight the badger, while Raya put her head on the ground and, shivering, viciously twisted her body until she heard the bone snap. She cried out loud, a few tears streaming down unnoticed onto the snow, turning to ice. As soon as she could move, she pulled herself out and limped into the campsite.

A penitent Aurora waited with an impatient Randolph. They gulped down their food eagerly before fully realizing what had happened. That night, Aurora slept with Raya, keeping her extra warm, while Ayala laid facing the river and Randolph guarded against any angry badgers stupid enough to enter their campsite.

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Severus Snape was frustrated. The mess of potion, As if I could call it that!, sitting before him almost made him regret he had agreed to teach all ages in his class.

"Mister Longbottom, which part of my rigorous instruction did you forget? The part where it explicitly said to add the watercress leaf AFTER adding the moonstone dust, or the part where it quite clearly explains why to stir it counter-clockwise?! You could have killed your whole house!"

He made his way back toward his desk before turning to look at the cowering first-year again. "Not that I would mind the act... However, it would be blamed on me, and I have no intention of loosing my job over a silly first-year. Detention tonight at eight, and ten house points from Gryffindor. NO COMPLAINTS, Miss Granger, or it shall be twenty. Am I understood?"

The first-year Gryffindors nodded with near-hateful frowns on their faces, most prominent in the Trio from... well, he shouldn't say it that way.

Sitting at his desk, he pondered exactly WHY he had given Longbottom a detention. It wouldn't help, in the long run or ever. And he had planned to go out that night to find...

To find her. The girl who has eluded me for almost a week. No, that's not a reason to be frustrated to bits at all, he thought sarcastically. Casually he laced his fingers before his face, contemplating the numerous charms he had tried. Even the most simple, 'Point Me', would lead him to the nearest and most healthy tree. There seemed to be a pattern, but until he could pinpoint it, he was simply happy to let loose his frustration on idiotic first-years. But a detention?

Ah well. Can't be undone now... I suppose I'll have to suffer. A smirk appeared beneath his fingertips. I could always have him scrub out that cauldron I've left stewing for a week. No other need for it, really... and it will keep him busy for a good hour. Although, I can't let him leave early... Blimey, I suppose I'll figure something out.

He sighed to himself, and ordered the bottling and handing in of potions. Just in time, as the class ended and the grateful students streamed out, his house talking about how stupid Longbottom was, and the Gryffindors once again trying not to be angry at a failing classmate. His next class filed in, sitting quietly while he came out of his ruminating thoughts, these being more experienced third-years.

I'll have to go out tomorrow.